SOMERS, WI -- The University of Delaware men’s swimming and diving team was ranked 16th among all Division I Mid-Major programs, while the women also earned a top-25 ranking as selected by CollegeSwimming.com.

The rankings are based on each team's best dual meet lineup as judged and submitted by participating teams. Both teams also were in the top-25 in the original poll announced on November 14. Pre-conference meet rankings will be published on February 6, while post-conference selections will be made on March 6.

The Blue Hen men currently sport a 6-3 record, including a 2-1 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the fall portion of their schedule having won four of their last six competitions. The women, who were selected 23rd in the poll, also have had an exceptional fall season, going 10-1 with a 3-1 record in the CAA.

On the women’s side, Delaware has been led by Maryann Walker, who has already received CAA Swimmer of the Week and Best of the Blue Hens Athlete of the Week honors this season. On the year, she has posted the best time on the team in both the 100 and 200 backstroke competitions. Her time of 2:08.04 in the 200 against George Mason still stands as the sixth best in the conference, while her 59.81 in the 100 against Georgetown is the 13th fastest in the CAA.

Cortney Barry has had a fine year as well, notching the seventh best time among CAA swimmers in the 1650 free after finishing in 17:15.37 at Northeastern. Her 10:24.87 time in the 1,000 freestyle during Delaware’s tri-meet against Drexel and Vermont also stands as the eighth fastest in the conference.

Diver Shannon Burke (above) has also had a successful season, recording the 6th best score in the conference in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events.

Harvard is the top-ranked team among women, receiving 193.40 points. Navy is second, while Columbia, Denver, and William & Mary round out the top-five.

Along with the Hens and the Tribe, the Towson Tigers also earned a top-25 ranking, placing 11th in the poll.

The Delaware men are led by Andrew Zinn and Grady Carter, who have both earned CAA Swimmer of the Week honors. During the first meet of the season against George Mason, Zinn recorded a school-record 20.62 in the 50-yard freestyle event. That time currently stands as the best in the conference.

Among conference swimmers, Carter has the second fastest 50-free time, recording a season-best 20.84 against Mason in the season opener. His 59.48 time in the 100 breaststroke during the H20unds Invitational also marks the best by a Blue Hen and the seventh fastest in the CAA this season.

Matt Wehrman also swam the CAA’s second-best time in the 1,000-yard freestyle event when he finished in 9:54.68 against George Mason, and Tom Gallagher notched the conference’s third-best score in the 3-meter dive this year with a 300.30 mark during Delaware’s tri-meet at Northeastern.

Matt Abbruzzese’s 283.70 score in the 1-meter dive at Northeastern also is the fifth best score by a CAA diver this year.

In the CollegeSwimming.com rankings, Harvard was the top-ranked men’s team, earning 194.22 points. Princeton finished second, while Missouri State, Navy, and Wright State rounded out the top-five.

Fellow CAA members Drexel, Towson, Old Dominion, and UNC-Wilmington also earned top-25 rankings, with the Dragons and Tigers finishing 13th and 14th respectively.

The Blue Hen swimming and diving teams will return to the pool on January 5 at 1 p.m. when they host Towson at the Rawstrom Natatorium.

AGATE:

2007-08 CollegeSwimming.com Women’s National Mid-Major Rankings (December 20): 1. Harvard; 2. Navy; 3. Columbia; 4. Denver; 5. William & Mary; 6. Western Kentucky; 7. UC-Irvine; 8. Florida Atlantic; 9. Northern Arizona; 10. UMBC; 11. Towson; 12. Illinois State; 13. Bucknell; 14. Toledo; 15. Saint Louis; 16. Missouri State; 17. Florida Gulf Coast; 18. UW-Milwaukee; 19. Davidson; 20. Cal Poly; 21. North Texas; 22. San Jose State; 23. Delaware; 24. LaSalle; 25. Rider.